With Some Thread & a Little Luck
by huntsthemoon
Summary: Hanna has been stuck in the same dead end job working the counter at Imperial Second Hand Clothing since the day she pissed off Victoria Belfrey as one of her underlings. Not one to deal well with letting people down she tucked her tail between her legs and came home to the poor side of Hyperion Heights. Her roll over and take it attitude didn't sit well with her girlfriend. S7 OC


Dust motes danced around the shop while the sound of a sewing machine whirs through the quiet shop. The whole place smells of stale air and musty fabric. The perfect kind of place for someone to disappear into their own little world. The large front windows let enough light into the front that only a few antique lamps were lit, giving the old fabric a soft yellow glow. If this was a different time, a different place you might think this place held some magic.

To the girl stuffed into a corner busy fixing an old suit jacket it felt like a prison. It basically was, she'd been stuck here ever since being falsely accused of a crime. The only business in Hyperion Heights that would hire her was Imperial Second Hand Clothing, and the owner immediately took that as his leave to retire while still pulling in some cash. What that meant for her was lonely days being locked up in the stuffy shop hoping someone needs a cheap suit for a cousin's wedding or a Halloween costume. Today had been particularly slow and she was lost in her thoughts when someone touched her shoulder.

She startled and her thumb slipped under the needle piercing the edge of her skin, she hollered and ripped her hand back. She spun around quickly, angry to see a familiar face looking back at her apologetically.

"Oh my gosh Sabine," her green eyes were huge as she looked up at the other woman, "you should know better than sneak up on me when I'm working."

Sabine handed her a rag that looked fairly clean to wrap her thumb in, "I'm really sorry but I need to ask a favor."

"Anything you need I'm here," she smiled and then winced at the blood starting to soak through the thin cloth.

"Well…" Sabine smiled hopefully raising one of her brows.

"Oh no," she looked up, "I know that look Sabine."

"Please Hanna," she begged, "I just need you to whip up something for Jacinda. We all know your dresses are like something out of the movies."

"And am I helping Jacinda go against that vile woman?" Hanna's eyes sharpened uncharacteristically.

"Maybe," Sabine winced at the doubt in her own voice.

Hanna breezed by her friend, "I've told you before I'm staying as far away from that woman as I can. The last thing I need is a ding on my record over a silly dress. Do I even wanna ask what you two are scheming?"

She set to work re-arranging the hats on the rack in the storefront window, "Lucy really loves that garden so we thought if we had a dinner party in the garden with everyone dressed up we could raise some money to fix it up."

"Yeah that sounds like exactly the thing I need to keep my nose out of," Hanna shrugged sadly at the disappointment on Sabine's face.

"I have cash," Sabine offered which immediately darkened Hanna's expression.

"It's not about that," she looked a second away from crying.

"I know you've been saving and I know you won't tell me what it's for but I can guess _who_ it's for," her friend placed a hand gently on Hanna's shoulder and smiled warmly.

"I just thought if we both got away from here for a bit she would come back to me more," Hanna sighed.

"You can't help who your heart loves," Sabine's hand squeezed.

Hanna couldn't look up, her eyes were firmly on the ground as moisture tried to build in them. Some times she hated just how easily that button could be pushed. It didn't matter what had happened between them she still hoped for the best, hoped that one day something would click and she would be back to when things were warm sun, fields of wildflowers and soft gentle kisses that tasted of promise.

Hanna snapped herself out of it when she felt the hand leave her shoulder. The spot feeling suddenly cold in the drafty store. She straightened her cardigan and looked her friend in the eye.

"Leave me with some ideas and I promise to think about it," Hanna smiled still feeling that moisture sitting in the corners of her eyes but knowing if she tried to wipe it, they'd make their way down her face and keep going.

"Thank you Hanna," Sabine reached into her bag for a picture she'd brought, "just something simple. It's a garden party and I'll leave the colour up to you."

Hanna took the image from her hand and thought for a moment, "I have a beautiful blue, floral dress I could change up. Blue is definitely Jacinda's colour."

"Agreed," Sabine started to breeze out of the store, "text me and let me know and thank you."

Hanna nodded already lost in thoughts of what she could do with this dress. She knew there was no way she could do it with just what she had upstairs. Which meant a trip to the fabric store that would have to wait until after work.

Sighing, Hanna headed back to the front window to rearrange the display for what had to be the hundredth time in the past year of working there. She got absorbed into her task and before she realized it was almost closing time.

Hanna started to bustle around cleaning and closing up when she heard the bell above the window and in swept someone guaranteed to turn a great day into a horrible one, Victoria Belfrey stood looking around her nose scrunched up in disgust, "well doesn't it smell quaint in here," the smile on her face sharp.

Hanna snapped into business mode stepping up to her side of the counter, "what can I do for you Ms. Belfrey?"

The smile turned into a hard line on her face, "you can deliver these purchase contracts to your employer. I can't seem to get ahold of the old bat, and I would hate to think you're working here all alone. I'm sure that there'd be a few people interested in that fact."

"No ma'am," and she watched as the woman raised one manicured brow, "she's just stepped out to take a deposit to the bank."

"Hmmm," the older woman considered, "well in that case make sure she gets those back to me soon. I'm starting to lower my offers as more people pull out and we want to make sure she has enough to retire comfortably, don't we?"

Hanna nodded taking the papers from her, "have a good day."

Victoria didn't answer but walked out looking like she was trying not to touch anything.

As soon as she was through the door Hanna deflated, her shoulders sagging under the weight of the stress that woman spreads. She was like a virus infecting this whole neighbourhood. And Hanna had been right in the thick of it at one point. Thankful that both that time in her life and the few moments before this were over she walked quickly across the shop and locked the front door.

After finishing off her close-up procedure Hanna head out the back door, locking it behind her. Then she walked quickly a ways down the dark alley before heading up a rickety set of wooden steps up into an apartment above the store. As soon as the lights went on in the apartment there was the sound of scuttling as a blonde head of hair bounced away.


End file.
